Expidia
Commander
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2006
- Messages
- 2,368
Re: Help! Ideas to reduce wind on passenger?
Pics of the finished product below. Picked it up on Fri from the canvas shop.
Took it on Lake George today to try it out.
I added the two side windows so $450 grew to $700 real fast (with tax). But it's perfect! It came to reality better than I had imagined it was going to look like. Even all of the windows (including the front) can be rolled up and held in place by the straps they installed for full breeze without having to pull it apart. Also can adjust the front breeze while underway by pulling front zipper down to various spots.
Good looking trim job too . . . All of the boat snaps along the rail are hidden as they used Lund snaps and mounted them to the SportTrack rail system.
When not needed the windows are rolled and stored in a matching Sunbrella bag like the one that came with the Bimini.
I cruised around for most of the day at 15-20 mph with the enclosure up. It also handled nicely at 32 mph (my WOT).
Very tight setup. No sway with the bimini's frame. I won't need to swap the aluminum for stainless steel now . . . good because that would have been $329 plus shipping from Overton's where I bought the Bimini.
Exact matching Sunbrella fabric used all around.
They also put a zipper across the back in case I want them to add a storm curtain for a full enclosure at some point. But they cautioned me that a storm curtain can not be used with the outboard running. So if I'm moving off the lake to get out of a storm the rain won't be coming in as long as I'm moving forward. That storm curtain would have added another $400 to the bill anyway.
If it's storming that bad 98% of the time hopefully I would have been aware that a storms coming and I'd be off the lake already by that time.
Over 100 hours this summer on the water and I only got caught "twice" having to hurry to put up the bimini from a sudden, brief down pours. If the radar before I go out shows scattered thunder showers I can usually outrun them on large lakes. But if shows lines of thunder storms or lightning, I just don't go out until they pass.
It was expensive an expensive solution, but I figure since it was custom made I might get back a little of the premium price when I go to sell the rig someday. I'd pay extra for a boat that had an enclosure vs a similar model without.
This also allows me to extend my season at least 2 months I figure. An extra month into the fall and back on the water maybe in April.
I justified the outlay because at least I'll only have to do this once . . . And if taken care of it's supposed to last 10 years. When I sell the boat someday, I might pick some of that back up since it's a custom job for this particular model.
I just paid $450 for front brakes and rotors for my Saab and in two years I'll have to do it all over again (at least the pads anyway). Car repairs like brakes etc just keep coming around again a few years later.
A plug for the shop that did my work for anyone local was John Fitzner's Canvas in Rotterdam NY. I highly recommend them. Not cheap, but you get what you pay for IMO.
Thx for all of you're input and check out the pics . . .
So I figure the $700 was money well spent if it lasts 10 years for me or the next buyer. And Wifey is now Windfree and Dry again . . . but never happy
I've learned to live with that part . . . BUT Just look at that smile on her face now!
Here is another link with a few more views (click on a pic to enlarge it):
http://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa2/expidia/?start=all
Pics of the finished product below. Picked it up on Fri from the canvas shop.
Took it on Lake George today to try it out.
I added the two side windows so $450 grew to $700 real fast (with tax). But it's perfect! It came to reality better than I had imagined it was going to look like. Even all of the windows (including the front) can be rolled up and held in place by the straps they installed for full breeze without having to pull it apart. Also can adjust the front breeze while underway by pulling front zipper down to various spots.
Good looking trim job too . . . All of the boat snaps along the rail are hidden as they used Lund snaps and mounted them to the SportTrack rail system.
When not needed the windows are rolled and stored in a matching Sunbrella bag like the one that came with the Bimini.
I cruised around for most of the day at 15-20 mph with the enclosure up. It also handled nicely at 32 mph (my WOT).
Very tight setup. No sway with the bimini's frame. I won't need to swap the aluminum for stainless steel now . . . good because that would have been $329 plus shipping from Overton's where I bought the Bimini.
Exact matching Sunbrella fabric used all around.
They also put a zipper across the back in case I want them to add a storm curtain for a full enclosure at some point. But they cautioned me that a storm curtain can not be used with the outboard running. So if I'm moving off the lake to get out of a storm the rain won't be coming in as long as I'm moving forward. That storm curtain would have added another $400 to the bill anyway.
If it's storming that bad 98% of the time hopefully I would have been aware that a storms coming and I'd be off the lake already by that time.
Over 100 hours this summer on the water and I only got caught "twice" having to hurry to put up the bimini from a sudden, brief down pours. If the radar before I go out shows scattered thunder showers I can usually outrun them on large lakes. But if shows lines of thunder storms or lightning, I just don't go out until they pass.
It was expensive an expensive solution, but I figure since it was custom made I might get back a little of the premium price when I go to sell the rig someday. I'd pay extra for a boat that had an enclosure vs a similar model without.
This also allows me to extend my season at least 2 months I figure. An extra month into the fall and back on the water maybe in April.
I justified the outlay because at least I'll only have to do this once . . . And if taken care of it's supposed to last 10 years. When I sell the boat someday, I might pick some of that back up since it's a custom job for this particular model.
I just paid $450 for front brakes and rotors for my Saab and in two years I'll have to do it all over again (at least the pads anyway). Car repairs like brakes etc just keep coming around again a few years later.
A plug for the shop that did my work for anyone local was John Fitzner's Canvas in Rotterdam NY. I highly recommend them. Not cheap, but you get what you pay for IMO.
Thx for all of you're input and check out the pics . . .
So I figure the $700 was money well spent if it lasts 10 years for me or the next buyer. And Wifey is now Windfree and Dry again . . . but never happy
I've learned to live with that part . . . BUT Just look at that smile on her face now!
Here is another link with a few more views (click on a pic to enlarge it):
http://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa2/expidia/?start=all